2022 Study Summary 14: Remember This Day, In Which Ye Came Out Of Egypt

Exodus 7-13

“Remember This Day, In Which Ye Came Out Of Egypt”

Exodus 7. Moses is appointed to give the word of the Lord to Pharaoh—The Lord will multiply signs and wonders in Egypt—Aaron’s rod becomes a serpent—The river is turned into blood—The magicians imitate the miracles of Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 8. The Lord sends plagues of frogs, lice, and flies upon Egypt—Pharaoh hardens his heart.

Exodus 9. The Lord destroys the cattle of the Egyptians, but not of the Israelites—Boils and blains are sent upon the Egyptians—The Lord sends hail and fire upon the people of Pharaoh, but not upon the people of Israel.

Exodus 10. The Lord sends a plague of locusts—This is followed by thick darkness in all Egypt for three days—Moses is cast out from the presence of Pharaoh.

Exodus 11. The departing Israelites are authorized to ask for jewels and gold from their neighbors—The Lord promises to slay the firstborn in every Egyptian home—He puts a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites.

Exodus 12. The Lord institutes the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread—Lambs without blemish are slain—Israel is saved by their blood—The firstborn of all Egyptians are slain—Israel is thrust out of Egypt after 430 years—No bones of the paschal lambs are to be broken.

Exodus 13. The firstborn of man and of beasts are to be sanctified unto the Lord—The Feast of Unleavened Bread is to be kept in the land of Canaan—Moses takes Joseph’s bones out of Egypt—The Lord attends Israel in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

How do plagues “symbolize” rather than “convince?”
The signs and plagues that happened to the Egyptians from God at the hand of Moses showed God’s power yet did not change the heart of Pharaoh. In some cases, the Pharaohs’ magicians even imitated or counterfeited the miracles. As mentioned in the previous lesson, the Passover story includes plagues brought on the Egyptians, (not convincingly) . . . however they may have been symbolic. The first and last plague parallel miracles of the Savior. His first miracle was changing of water into new wine (better than the old) is opposite of the Egyptian’s water turning to undrinkable “blood.” The ten ancient plagues are mentioned in the Passover meal. (Some can be compared to modern plagues). “According to Exodus the plagues were: 1) BLOOD. The river Nile, the main source of water for ancient Egypt, turned to blood. Its pollution was disastrous: the river stank, fish died, and the Egyptians searched desperately for fresh water. 2) FROGS. They covered the land, and found their way into the people’s homes, clothing, and food. 3) LICE. “As thick as the dust of the earth,” they attacked both man and beast. 4) SWARMS OF FLIES, which “ruined all the land of Egypt.” 5) PESTILENCE. The livestock of the Egyptians perished from virulent diseases. 6. BOILS. They afflicted men and animals causing much discomfort. 7) HAIL AND FIRE of such intensity that they destroyed not only plant life, but also beasts and men. 8) LOCUSTS, so numerous that they “darkened the land,” and ate every growing thing that had survived the hail. 9) DARKNESS, a pitch darkness that lasted for three days and nights. It was so thick that the lamps lit by the Egyptians could not penetrate it. 10) DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN. (It was) the last and most terrible of the plagues. Every firstborn child of man and beast perished in one night at midnight. (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) The last plague symbolizes a lamb had to die so we could live. That parallels the death of the “First-born Lamb of God,” and His gift of resurrection to all mankind.

What do we learn from Jewish custom as the plagues are enumerated?
Every time a plaque is discussed during the Passover meal, many have the custom to dip their finger into the juice or wine and touch their tongue (father or grandfather first, then everyone else). The real lesson with each event is that we are “saved.” The plague turns out to be a sweet reminder of God’s goodness to us, despite the difficulty on others. Jewish tradition states that the Egyptians pleaded with Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, the Egyptians even breaking out in an uprising against him. Sometimes God lets the “wicked” fight against the “wicked.” “The plagues (may have taken place) almost an entire year . . . Each plague took a month, totaling ten months.” (Rabbi Mendel Adelman, www.chabad.org/ holidays/ passover/pesach_cdo/aid/1653/jewish/The-Ten-Plagues.htm#comments)

How meaningful is the “lamb” offering as the Children of Israel were delivered?
The lamb had to be firstborn and unblemished, not a bone was to be broken (Exodus 12:46, Psalm 34:20, John 19:36) and a marking of its blood was on the doorposts. Nothing was eaten that did or would “rise,” because we are to be raised up to travel to the promised land and to be raised from the dead! “And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” (Exodus 12:14) A part of every sacrifice was to be eaten and “taken-into ourselves,” prompting a later Prophet, Nephi, to say, “Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3)

Where do I set my sights upon?
Keep the Lord before you all the time! “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” (Exodus 13:22)